Begin to play Dotd 2

Dota 2 is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) video game set in a three-dimensional graphical environment, presented from a high-angle perspective. Two five-player teams, referred to as the Radiant and Dire, compete in matches on an asymmetrical playing field. Each player commands one of the 111 characters, called "heroes", which each feature unique abilities, design, and styles of play. At the start of a match, each hero has an experience level of one. During the game, they level up and become more powerful by accumulating experience points through combat. Whenever a hero gains a level, the player is able to unlock a new ability for them, improve one already learned, or increase their base attributes. Each hero's method of combat is influenced by its primary attribute: strength, intelligence, agility, which also affects the hero's health points (HP), mana points (MP), and attack speed, respectively.If a hero runs out of health points and dies, a timer begins to count down until they are able to respawn and get back into the game. A hero that dies also loses a portion of their unspent gold.

The Radiant and Dire occupy bases in opposite corners of the playing field, divided by a river. Within each base is a critical structure called the "Ancient", along with a fountain that regenerates heroes of that side's health and mana points. A match ends when one side breaches the other's base and destroys the Ancient within. The two bases are connected by three paths, referred to as "lanes", which are guarded by defensive towers and computer-controlled creatures called "creeps". These creatures periodically spawn in groups and travel along the lanes to attack enemy heroes, creeps and buildings. Also present are "neutral creeps" that are hostile to both Radiant and Dire, the most powerful of which is "Roshan", a unique respawning boss that may be killed by either side to obtain an item that allows a one-time resurrection by the hero that holds it.

Gold is primarily obtained by killing enemy heroes, destroying enemy structures, and killing creeps, the latter of which being an act called "farming". Only the hero that lands the killing blow on a creep obtains gold from it, an act called "last hitting", but all nearby allies receive gold when an enemy hero dies. Players are also able to "deny" their opponents full gold and experience by destroying allied units and structures.Gold is then spent on items that provide unique active and passive abilities, in addition to attribute enhancements to their wearer, depending on the item. The player also receives a small, continuous stream of gold over the course of a match.

Dota 2 often features seasonal events that present players with themed game modes, which do not follow the game's standard rules, including the Halloween-themed Diretide event, the Christmas-themed Frostivus event,[9] and the New Bloom Festival, which celebrated the coming of spring. For Halloween 2015, a Team Fortress 2-esque "capture point" game mode was released, titled "Colosseum". The move to the Source 2 engine in 2015 also saw the addition of community-created custom game modes, with the more popular ones having dedicated server hosting by Valve. In March 2016, Valve introduced the "Custom Game Pass" option to custom game modes, which allows content creators to add exclusive features, content, and other changes to their game mode, for a fee.